Traveling Through Yellowstone - Montana Owners Club

Koalityman · 03-21-2006, 06:13 AM

We will be visiting Yellowstone on our way to South Dakota. Is there a recommended RV route through the park or should I connect to I90 via I191, I89?
We would like to visit Cody also, but it looks like I14 has tough grades and winding roads for our Monty.
Any advice would be appreciated.

padredw · 03-21-2006, 06:31 AM

Tom and Alice, I'll be glad to share my experience from last Summer. It is only partially what you ask, but it is a start. We came in from the South to the West Thumb area and stopped there with our Montana. Had nice parking and no problems with the roads. We drove on to the Old Faithful area, and again parked with our Montana and had lunch there. No problems. We then drove on out to West Yellowstone, MT and to our campground at Red Rocks RV Park in Island Park, Idaho. No problems at all.

During our stay we drove back into the park (not towing) and covered all the roads that were open EXCEPT the East exit road and one seqment between Canyon Village and Mammoth Hot Springs which was totally closed to traffic while we were there.

Now, I realize you are concerned about going out to the East to Cody and I can't help you on that part of the trip, but based on our drive through the park I would be surprised if you would have any problems....

Except and unless someone ahead spots some wildlife and the traffic stops. Fortunately for us, that only happened on later visits to the park from our campground when we were not towing. This kind of 'wildlife jam' is just a part of the Yellowstone experience.

Koalityman · 03-21-2006, 10:17 AM

Thank you David and Shirly. We will check out Red Rock RV Park. Once we set up a home ,we can explore the loop as you did and decide alternatives.

By the way, we love your Web Site, great pictures and family history. I've studied some of the Civil War and visited Fredrickberg, Gettysberg and Harpers Ferry. I can't Wait to see more.

padredw · 03-21-2006, 11:26 AM

Thank you, Tom and Alice, for your comments about the web site. To tell the truth, we need to revise it, but just haven't taken the time. Of course, you can see the photos we took in the Yellowstone area.

Steve and Vicki Reigle also stayed at the Red Rock RV park last Summer -- right after we were there. They stayed much longer than we did, as they are full timers. It's a bit over 20 miles as I remember from Red Rock to the West entrance to Yellowstone, but we enjoyed staying there. Must say, we prefer the "out of town" parks.

paulrem · 03-21-2006, 05:04 PM

Tom & Alice, You can travel through Yellowstone Park and pull your 5er. If you are wanting to go to Cody before or after your visit then you will want to use he East entrance. I will tell you that we did this last summer and they are working on the road. It is very, very , very rough and you wil have many delays. But like I said we did pull our 3400rl throught the park. It is better to stay outside and travel by your TV in the park to sight see. Lots of places to stay on the Idaho side. It is okay to travel on he roads as he speed limit is slow and the roads are just okay. East entrance is the only bad road. It is dusty, bumpy, and very slow going. We will be gone April, May and June, but if you are coming through Twin Falls, Idaho let me know and maybe we can get together.
Hope this make sense to you.

Paul and Sue

Bill DeMeulle · 03-23-2006, 06:19 AM

We were at Yellowstone last august and stayed at the fishing bridge campground. It is a little problem to park as the spaces are small but it does have full hookups. We went out the East entrance to Cody and the road there was very bumpy and slow, so be sure to give yourself extra time. We went to the Crazy Horse Monument and Mt. Rushmore and enjoyed them both very much, and don't forget Deadwood City a fun place.

Koalityman · 03-23-2006, 01:12 PM

Thank you for your reply.

We had no idea the there were RV Parks in the Yellowstone. We have a few more questions:

1. How big is your 5th wheel?
2. Did you disconnect and was there a place for your TV?
3. Did you take the tour?
4. What month did you travel and how long did you stay in the park?
5. What route did you take to Yellowstone and to South Dakota?

CmdrDewey · 03-23-2006, 01:52 PM

We stayed for 4 or 5 nights in Fishing Bridge in the summer of 2003. It really is not much more than a parking lot. However is is the only camground in the park with full hookups. It is also the best located park to see the the place. (IMHO) I would stay there again. We were not in the rig much except to sleep and the place was just fine. We were there just after it opened for the season and although we had reservations they were not needed. I suspect by Memorial Day they are a necessity. They are very careful about bear. NOTHING resembling food or a food container can be left outside. You can grill but the grill has to be put away immediately after and they do ride around and check.

It is 27 miles from Fishing Bridge to the east entrance and not too much further to Cody. Cody is a neat town with an amazing museum. We spent about a week there. We stayed at the Ponderosa campground. It isn't the gratest but it is fine and very handy to everything. I would stay there again too. When we left Cody we took the Grey Bull highway and went through Basin, Worland, Buffalo and Gillette.

If you would like more info I will try to help

David

Koalityman · 03-23-2006, 04:03 PM

Sounds like we need more time to explore. Thank you again.

sreigle · 03-26-2006, 02:16 PM

As Padre said, we spent a month at Red Rock and would do so again. We enjoyed the park. That's one of the very few places we had no cell signal, however. But nobody had cell service except the owner who had an antenna on top of his two-story office/apartment building. No Cingular, Verizon, or anyone else. But drive a couple of miles east on that road, pull into a pasture, and there we had a very usable signal.

If you want TV, you'll need satellite. The only broadcast channel we could pick up was a PBS station and it was a bit snowy.

Good wifi there, though. When we were there it was free.

On the road to Red Rock we saw a mama moose and her calf. We didn't see a bull moose there but got an email from others at red rock that the morning after we left a bull moose strolled through the rv park about six feet from where the rear of our Montana was. Drat, we missed it.

We didn't tow through Yellowstone but we roamed just about every road in the park. I see no reason why you couldn't tow any of those roads. As Padre said, traffic will sometimes come to a standstill when wildlife is spotted. If you come into the park from West Yellowstone and are going to Cody, then US 191 to US 20 to US 14 would be my route of choice. That takes you by many geisers, including Old Faithful (some of the other geisers are more spectacular, though), and down around Yellowstone Lake. There by the lake we had a papa bison brush the front of the truck and give me "the look" when he thought I got too close to his youngun and mistress (long story), so don't be in a hurry. It's a nice drive. I hope you enjoy it.

If you spend some time in the area, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone is definitely worth a visit. If you want to see some of what's to see in the area, click on the Our RV Travels link in my signature, select 2005 postcards and scroll down to the postcards from August 24 to October 4, 2005. There are some pictures of and from Red Rock in there somewhere, too.

Koalityman · 03-27-2006, 03:35 AM

Thank you Steve for your message. We're looking forward to all the grand sights. Looks like you've seen it all. We value you input and your experience.

Bill DeMeulle · 03-27-2006, 06:56 AM

We have a 2003 3280rl which is 34'w/ 3 slides and had plenty of room at the fishing bridge for the TV. We disconnected and did our own tour along with going to the Tetons. Spent 4 nites there in August and really enjoyed it. From the East entrance we took #14 to Cody and then on to Ranchester,Wy. where we picked up Hwy.90 to #16 qnd on to Custer where we stayed and took the TV to the various sites we wanted to visit: Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Deadwood etc.. I hope this helps.

Montana_5598 · 04-03-2006, 07:21 PM

We went to West Yellowstone and stayed at the KOA in May 2005. Went all around the Park for a week in just TV and then went to Cody on Hiway 14 (AAA listed it as most scenic hiway in America) via east entrance. They were doing the road work and there was a delay and it WAS ROUGH! But well worth the trip. We just took it slow. You should check on the present conditions, but I am sure they would not be worse this year.
Cody is worth a weeks stay! really enjoyed it. And I would just like to add...........when we were in Yellowstone in Mid-May the Buffalo had calves!! They are cute and it was fun to watch them!! Lots of Elk, saw Bear & Moose !
At the time we went we had a Komfort 30 ft. TT, but we stayed outside the Park.

sreigle · 04-04-2006, 09:34 PM

Nkwist (Norm and Chris) stayed at Fishing Bridge with their 3400RL and it fit fine. We drove through that park a couple of weeks prior to that and saw several Montanas and other big rigs in there.

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